Packaging sleeve for medical purposes

ABSTRACT

Packaging sleeve for medical purposes for storing sterile objects ( 25, 45 ), consisting of at least one outer sleeve ( 2 ) that is open at one end and can be sealed with a sealing closure ( 10 ) and has an inner sleeve ( 12 ) accommodated in it with a clamping effect, wherein the inner sleeve ( 12 ) is accommodated in a clamping seating in a receiving opening ( 15 ) in the sealing closure ( 10 ) on the bottom side of the outer sleeve ( 2 ) and the clamping seat thereby formed presses the sealing ribs ( 7, 55, 56, 59 ) arranged on the outside circumference of the sealing closure ( 10 ) against the inside of the outer sleeve ( 2 ) under increased contact pressure (FIG.  1 ).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No.15/285,881, filed on Oct. 5, 2016, which claims the benefit of priorityof Application No. 102015012898.1, filed in Germany on Oct. 6, 2015, theright of priority of which is claimed in the present application and thesubject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a packaging sleeve for medical purposes forstoring sterile objects according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

An important factor in the storage and presentation of medical objectsand surgical instruments in the operating room is to ensure thesterility of the object or instrument arranged in a packaging sleeve.

The subject matter of DE 693 19 704 T2 relates to a sterilized packagingfor surgical instruments, where the packaging consists of an outersheath for example a polyethylene bag, which is sealed with a pullstrip. Several layers of foam with closed cells are arranged inside thebag. The various instruments and devices for use in a surgical procedureare arranged in each of the layers of foam with closed cells. Thecontainer with the foam layers is surrounded by a first sheath. Thissheath is designed to be sterile, and a second sterile sheath enclosesthe first sterile sheath.

Such a bag system with instruments embedded in the foam in it has thedisadvantage that its imperviousness cannot be guaranteed. Itsimperviousness is ensured only by adhesive strips and the respectiveseals. It is therefore also not suitable for holding sterile liquidsbecause the imperviousness of the packaging cannot be ensured.

DE 699 38 259 C2 describes a sterile packaging for flexible endoscopes.It consists of a pocket with a front film made of a clear impermeablepolymer and a rear film made of a semipermeable material, such as apolyethylene nonwoven.

An adhesive seal covers the outside edges of the front film and forms asealed interior. Accordingly, with this bag packaging, there is againthe disadvantage that only the imperviousness is to be ensured bysealing surfaces, in the area of adhesive films. However, this is notenough for certain intended applications, in which increased demands aremade of the imperviousness.

Discussion of the Prior Art

US 2014/0042050 A1 describes a packaging sleeve for medical purposes forstoring sterile objects, consisting of a sealing closure, which can bescrewed onto the outer sleeve of the packaging, which is open at oneend.

A second packaging sleeve, which is offset by 180°, can be inserted intoand stored in the outer sleeve with a clamping effect in the sealingclosure.

The object to be protected from contamination is situated in theinterior of the inner sleeve, which can be sealed with a similar sealingclosure.

One disadvantage of this known packaging is that it is impossible toensure that the respective seal is also designed to be tight enoughsimply by screwing the sealing closure onto the outer sleeve.

Another disadvantage is that the object to be protected fromcontamination is not clamped in the inner sleeve. Instead it is freelydisplaceable there. Removal of such an object is therefore difficult,because the sealing closure must be unscrewed from the inner sleeve forthe purpose of removal, so that the object stored there loosely can fallout accidentally.

Another disadvantage of US 2014/0042050 A1 is that it is impossible toensure a reliable seal on the outer sleeve because the inner sleeveaccommodated in the bottom area of the sealing closure does not resultin tightening of the seal between the sealing closure and the interiorof the outer sleeve.

Another disadvantage is that the sealing closure also does not ensurereliable sealing for the closure of the inner sleeve because, even withthis sealing closure, there is still the problem that there is no radialwidening of the sealing ribs of this sealing closure by an expansionobject clamped in the bottom area of the sealing closure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention based on US 2014/0042050 A1 is therefore toimprove upon a packaging sleeve for medical purposes for storage ofsterile objects, so that the handling of the sterile objects to bestored can be made much simpler and more reliable and so that there willalways be an adequate seal of the sealing closures on the outer sleeveand the inner sleeve.

To achieve the object formulated here, the invention is characterized bythe technical teaching of the independent claim 1.

In the manner of US 2014/0042050 A1, the present invention provides thatthere are two sleeves inserted coaxially, one inside the other, whereinone inner sleeve is rotated by 180° in its position in its accommodationin the interior of the outer sleeve, and the inner sleeve isaccommodated with its bottom side part in the bottom side receptacle ofthe sealing closure for the closure of the outer sleeve.

In the same way as described in US 2014/0042050 A1, simplified handlingis thus possible because, in a preferred exemplary embodiment, thedouble packaging sleeve consisting of two inner and outer sleevesinserted coaxially, one inside the other, forming a seal and screwedtogether, is first opened outside of the sterile operating room by anoperator, and the inner sleeve is pulled out of the outer sleeve.

While still closed, the inner sleeve thereby freed, with the medicalobject inserted into it, is introduced into the operating room throughan airlock and then handed over to the operating-room nurse and/orsurgeon.

The operating-room nurse and/or the surgeon then open(s) the innersleeve, which is still sealed, under sterile conditions, wherein thesealing closure of the inner sleeve is unscrewed and removed. Themedical object stored in the inner sleeve is then introduced into theoperating area under sterile conditions and used in the human or animalbody.

In a first embodiment, the object to be held is stored loosely in theinner sleeve and can be removed without touching the object, by justshaking the inner sleeve, which has been opened.

The object of the present invention is therefore to improve upon apackaging for medical purposes, for storing sterile objects, so thatsignificantly higher imperviousness requirements can be met, and betterprotection is provided against contamination due to touch contact.

The invention is first directed to a hard packaging and avoids the typesof bag packaging referenced above. The invention therefore claims apackaging sleeve that is open at one end and can be closed with asealing closure.

Such a sealing closure is essentially comparable to a sealing plug orstealing stopper, which is screwed, locked, pushed or otherwiseconnected securely and with a seal to the open end of the packagingsleeve, either in or on the end of the packaging sleeve, which is openat one end, so that the packaging sleeve is sealed by such a sealingclosure.

When using such sealing closures, it is known that one or more sealingribs may be arranged on the outside circumference of such a stopper-likesealing closure, and these sealing ribs are in contact with the insidecircumference of the packaging sleeve when the sealing closure is pushedor screwed into the end of the packaging sleeve, which is open at oneend, resulting in an additional seal. Such sealing closures are known ingeneral for tubes for storing tablets.

Thus, however, increased demands regarding the imperviousness of such asealing closure cannot be met with sealing ribs arranged on the outsidecircumference.

DESCRIPTION OF A FIRST SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT

The invention therefore provides that the sealing seat of the sealingribs of the sealing closure on the inside circumference of the packagingsleeve is improved by the fact that the sealing closure has a receivingopening, which is open at one end and is preferably designed to beeither cylindrical or with a conical enlargement, and an expansionelement can be inserted into and/or screwed into this receiving openingin the axial direction, being held by an annular wall formed by thereceiving opening with a clamping seat.

As soon as the sealing closure has been screwed onto the recess, whichis open at one end, in the packaging sleeve and thereby pushed into thepackaging sleeve, the expansion element, which is also arranged in theinterior of the packaging sleeve, penetrates into the axial recess,which is open at one end in the bottom area of the sealing closure andthereby deforms the annular wall radially outward, so that the sealingribs arranged on the outside circumference of the elastomericallydeformable annular wall are pressed against the inside of the outersleeve under an increased contact pressure.

Thus, with the technical teaching of claim 1, the sealing seat of asealing closure in a packaging sleeve that is open at one end isimproved in such a manner that an expansion element, which is arrangedin the interior of the packaging, penetrates into the receiving openingin the sealing closure on the bottom side, which is open at one end, oninsertion, screwing in or otherwise introducing the sealing closure intothe packaging sleeve, displacing the walls of the sealing closureradially outward, and pressing the sealing ribs, which are arranged onthe outside circumference of these walls, against the inside wall of theouter sleeve under an increased sealing pressure and contact pressure.

Such an expansion element may be an inner sleeve to be described lateror a sterile object, in particular also a surgical instrument or someother device that must be handled under sterile conditions and issuitable for penetrating with part of its body into the opening in thesealing closure, which is open on the bottom end and thereby causing itto expand radially outward with a clamping effect.

In a first embodiment, it is provided that the expansion element isinserted in a straight line axially into the receiving space in thesealing stopper, where it is clamped with elastomeric deformation of thesealing stopper.

In a second embodiment, it is provided that the expansion elementpenetrates with a twisting movement and/or a twist-push movement intothe receiving opening at the sealing closure, where it is secured bymeans of friction locking. To this end, thread-type projections, nubs orthreaded strips may be molded onto the inside circumference of thereceiving opening in the sealing closure, where they cooperate with therespective thread-type projections, nubs, threaded strips or smoothsurfaces on the outside circumference of the inner sleeve.

If a twist-clamp connection is also selected according to the secondembodiment instead of a plug-clamp connection, which acts only in theaxial direction according to a first embodiment, then the inner sleevecan be removed from the sealing stopper with a controlled twistingmovement. This will be explained below with reference to the drawings inFIGS. 11 through 13.

In the simplest embodiment of the invention, the packaging sleeve formedical purposes for storing a sterile object thus consists of an outersleeve, which is open at one end and has a sealing closure, wherein theexpansion means should be designed to penetrate with one part into thebottom-side opening of the sealing closure, which is open at one endwhere it has a clamping effect and optionally undergoes elastomericdeformation when the sealing closure is placed on the packaging sleeve.This results in radial widening of the wall of the sealing closure, sothat the sealing ribs arranged on the outside circumference of thesealing closure are pressed against the inside wall of the packagingsleeve under an elevated contact pressure.

This simplified embodiment thus describes only a packaging sleeve with asealing closure and a part of an expansion means engaging in thereceiving opening that is open at one end on the bottom side, whereinthe expansion means are formed either by the object itself that is to beheld or by the bottom side of an inner sleeve.

The expansion means are accommodated with a clamping effect in thereceiving opening of the sealing closure when the sealing closure isscrewed into the outer sleeve and there is elastic deformation of thereceiving opening on the bottom side radially outward in the sealingclosure, so that the sealing ribs arranged on the outside circumferenceof the sealing closure are pressed against the inside of the outersleeve under an increased contact pressure. The expansion element isthus formed either by the walls of the inner sleeve or—if the innersleeve is omitted—by the object itself to be held.

For the sake of a simpler description, it is assumed below that theinner sleeve with its bottom part is the expansion element for thereceiving opening in the sealing closure of the outer sleeve, althoughthe invention is not limited to this embodiment.

The advantage of this measure is that it permits easy removal of theinner sleeve; the outer sealing closure is unscrewed or pulled out ofthe outer sleeve, wherein the inner sleeve, which is held in theinterior of the outer sealing closure, remains clamped because of itsclamping seating in the sealing closure, so that when the sealingclosure is pulled out or unscrewed at the same time, the inner sleeve,which is held there by the sealing closure, is also pulled out of theouter sleeve.

The sealing closure of the outer sleeve therefore serves as a sterilehold for handling of the inner sleeve arranged in the interior of theouter sleeve, and there is no need to touch by hand the inner sleevethat is accommodated with a clamping effect in the sealing closure.

The invention thus relates to a packaging sleeve consisting of twosleeves inserted coaxially one into the other, namely an outer sleevethat has a larger diameter and can be closed by a sealing closure and aninner sleeve with a smaller diameter that is accommodated in theinterior of the outer sleeve and can be closed by a second sealingclosure at its end.

Thus, in this embodiment, two different sleeves are inserted, one insidethe other, because in the interior of the outer sleeve that can beclosed with the first sealing closure, the inner sleeve that can beclosed with a second sealing closure is accommodated in a clamping fitin the receiving opening of the sealing closure of the outer sleeve onthe bottom side.

The inner sleeve thus forms the expansion element for expansion of thesealing closure in the outer sleeve and the clamping seat thereby formedpresses the sealing ribs arranged on the outer circumference of thesealing closure against the inside of the outer sleeve under increasedcontact pressure.

When in this embodiment a two-part packaging sleeve is provided with aninner sleeve and an outer sleeve, it is preferable if the inner sleeveretains the medical object to be held.

This yields substantial advantages in the transfer of such a medicalobject in the operating room:

In principle, the sealing closure, which seals the outer sleeve, issituated opposite the sealing closure arranged in the interior of theouter sleeve, supported on its bottom side and sealing the inner sleeveunder an increased contact pressure.

To take out the object in the operating room, it is thus provided thatthe first sealing closure, which seals the outer sleeve, is pulled outor unscrewed from the outer sleeve, so that the inner sleeve, which isheld in a clamping fit by the first sealing closure can be pulled out ofthe outer sleeve.

The surgical nurse holds the first sealing closure, which serves toclose the outer sleeve in his/her hand and extends to the surgeon theinner sleeve, which is accommodated in a clamping fit in the firstsealing closure and is still sealed by the second sealing closure.

The surgeon receives the inner sleeve with the second sealing closurestill sitting on it and takes the second sealing closure out of theinner sleeve, so that the surgical element, instrument or object held inthe clamping seating in the second sealing closure remains in theclamping seating on the second sealing closure, and the surgeon holdsthe second sealing closure in his hand until he can introduce thesurgical instrument into the operating area having to touch the element,the object or the instrument.

Instead of holding the object that is to be held in the clamping seatingin the inner sleeve, it is also possible to provide that the object issupported in a freely movable manner in the inner sleeve.

In the first case, touch-free manipulation of the object, element orinstrument, which is held with a clamping effect in the clamping seat inthe sealing closure of the inner sleeve.

In the sealing arrangement between the second sealing closure and theend of the inner sleeve, which is open at one end, it is ensured in arefinement of the invention that the object to be held is accommodatingfor example with its head area in the clamping seating in theelastically widenable opening of the second sealing closure at thebottom side of the inner sleeve so that even in this case due to theelastic widening of the receiving opening, the sealing ribs arranged onthe outside circumference of the second sealing closure are pressedagainst the inside of the inner sleeve under an increased contactpressure.

Instead of the possibility that the object to be held in the innersleeve itself acts as an expansion element for the receiving opening inthe sealing closure of the inner sleeve, it is possible to provide inanother embodiment that the expansion element is formed in the receivingopening of the inner sealing closure as a separate pressure piece.

The pressure piece is preferably designed to be conical and when thepressure piece is inserted axially into the receiving opening, which isalso designed to be conical, the latter is widened radially. The axiallongitudinal movement of the pressure piece is achieved by contact withthe object held in a secure position in the inner sleeve at the end.

DESCRIPTION OF A SECOND EMBODIMENT

In a second embodiment of the present invention a modified embodiment incomparison with the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 13 is claimed,wherein the second embodiment—which is shown in particular in FIG. 15and in the following figures—is characterized in that another sealingarrangement is provided for the sealing closure. For the same parts ofthe first exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 13, the samereference numerals, explanations, features and advantages also apply tothe parts of the second exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 14 to19.

This arrangement is characterized in that in comparison with theembodiment according to FIG. 1, the thread and the sealing ribs areinterchanged, and furthermore, the second exemplary embodiment ischaracterized by an improved seal in that the bottom sleeve of the innersleeve is connected to the sealing closure in a different sealingrelationship than in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1 bycomparison.

In the embodiment according to the second design, the free open end ofthe outer sleeve forms a sealing sleeve that is open at the end and onwhose inside circumference a novel sealing ring is now in contact, thissealing ring in turn sitting on the outside circumference of the newlyformed sealing closure.

Due to the use of a sealing ring in combination with the sealing sleeveon the free open end of the inner sleeve, this yields a particularlyadvantageous seal, such as that which could not be achieved with thefirst exemplary embodiment.

The advantage of the second embodiment is that the sealing arrangementof the outer sleeve in combination with the sealing stopper is forcedentirely against the end of the sealing stopper in the axial direction,i.e., is arranged on the outer axial end of the sealing stopper so thata better sealing effect and improved production against contaminationare achieved.

The area where the seal is formed and the sealing ring is arranged isthus shifted as much as possible in the axial direction onto the stopperwith the sealing closure. This yields the advantage that the internalsterility of the outer sleeve is ensured at all points.

If, in removal of the sealing closure, there happens to be unintentionalcontact of the inner surface of the outer sleeve, then thiscontamination is not introduced into the interior of the outer sleevebecause any possible contamination cannot reach the inner surface of theouter sleeve. Thus, any contaminated surfaces are arranged at thegreatest possible distance axially from the outer sleeve in order toprevent contamination of the outer sleeve on the inside.

The present invention also claims certain embodiments for the design ofthe seal between the sealing closure and the inside circumference of theouter sleeve.

In the exemplary embodiment referenced above, a seal applied to theoutside circumference of the sealing closure and secured in positionthere is used. This sealing ring has sealing ribs of different shapes,namely one sealing rib on the front end and two sealing ribs facingradially outward, so that the sealing ring forms a seal in twodirections orthogonal to one another, namely radially and axially.

It is also secured against twisting and secured positionally on thesealing closure against displacement in this way and is therefore“captive.”

In a first embodiment, the securing of the position of the sealing ringon the stopper-type sealing closure is selected so that it sits on acylindrical outside circumference of the sealing closure and forms arelatively great wall thickness in the direction of the conicalinclination of the sealing closure toward the inside radially.

In another design, however, it may be provided that the wall thicknessin the area of the sealing stopper is greatly reduced at the point wherethe sealing ring sits to ensure that a spring element is formed by thereduced wall thickness; this, combined with an outwardly directed radialpressure from the sealing closure, which acts on the insidecircumference of the sealing ring, deforms the ring additionally outwardin the radial direction and thereby increases and improves the sealingpressure and the sealing force on the inside circumference of thesealing sleeve in the area of the outer sleeve.

Thus an improved seal is achieved in that the sealing ring is designedas a spring element capable of transferred radial pressures from itsinside circumference to the outside circumference.

In another embodiment, it is possible to provide for the sealing ring tobe connected to the stopper-type sealing closure in one piece at thefactory and therefore the previously defined wall thickness of thesealing ring is completely omitted. In this case the sealing ringaccording to the invention forms a wall of the sealing closure directlyand is part of this wall.

It is thus capable of transferring the deforming force acting on theinside of the sealing closure directly outward radially to the seal,which is arranged there in the outward direction radially.

In addition to the three exemplary embodiments mentioned above, a fourthexemplary embodiment will now also be described, wherein it is providedthat the inventive sealing ring is not in contact with a cylindricallyshaped outer wall of the stopper-type sealing closure but instead thisouter wall is formed with a conical taper in the axial direction.

More specifically, these are two different contact angles, wherein inthe first contact area of the sealing ring a cylindrical contact face isformed and in a second contact area a conical contact face is formed.

This type of design of the contact faces has the advantage that thebracing force between the inner sleeve and the sealing closure isintroduced at a specific defined axial location on the sealing ring andtherefore a superior sealing effect is achieved and is introduced inconcentrated form in a certain area of the seal.

The subject matter of the present invention is thus derived not onlyfrom the subject matter of the individual patent claims, but also fromthe combination of the individual patent claims with one another.

All the information and features disclosed in the documents includingthe abstract, in particular the three-dimensional design depicted in thedrawings are hereby claimed as essential to the invention inasmuch theyare novel individually or in combination in comparison with the priorart.

Inasmuch as individual subject matters are identified as being“essential to the invention” or “important,” this does not mean thatthese subject matters need necessarily form the subject matter of anindependent claim. This is determined only by the respective validversion of the independent patent claim.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in greater detail below on the basis ofdrawings illustrating just one type of embodiment. Additional featuresthat are essential to the invention and advantages of the invention arederived from the drawings and the description thereof. They show:

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the invention in a longitudinalsection.

FIG. 2 shows the parts of the exploded diagram in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment in comparison with FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows the parts of the exploded diagram in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment in comparison with FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 shows a section through a sealing closure in a first embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows a section through a sealing closure in a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 shows a section through a pressure piece in three differentembodiments.

FIG. 9 shows a side view of a sealing closure.

FIG. 10 shows schematically a detailed section through the sealingclosure with six different diagrams of the design of the sealing ribs.

FIG. 11 shows a schematic diagram of a first profile design of thebottom side of the inner sleeve.

FIG. 12 shows a schematic diagram of a second profile design of thebottom side of the inner sleeve.

FIG. 13 shows schematic diagram of the penetration of the bottom side ofthe inner sleeve into the receiving opening of the sealing closure.

FIG. 14 shows a modified embodiment in comparison with FIG. 1.

FIG. 15 shows an enlarged diagram of a stopper-type sealing closureshowing the arrangement of the novel sealing ring according to FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 shows a detailed diagram according to FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 shows a modified embodiment of the sealing ring in comparisonwith FIGS. 15 and 16.

FIG. 18 shows a second modification of the design of the sealing ring.

FIG. 19 shows a detailed diagram of the design of the sealing ringaccording to FIG. 17.

DESCRIPTION OF A PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 through 5, the exemplary embodiment will bedescribed first according to the technical teaching of the independentclaim 1, wherein the packaging sleeve 1 consists of two packagingsleeves 2, 12 inserted coaxially one into the other.

The packaging sleeve 1 thus consists of a cylindrical outer sleeve 2 anda sealing closure 10, which closes the opening side 4 of the outersleeve 2, as well as an inner sleeve 12 accommodated in the interior ofthe outer sleeve 2 and accommodated in the interior 19 in a position inwhich it is rotated by 180° and also has a sealing closure 30.

The sealing closure 10 on the outer sleeve has an outer thread 8, whichcooperates with the respective inner thread 9 on the opening side 4 ofthe outer sleeve 2. The sealing closure 10 can be screwed into theopening side 4 of the outer sleeve 2 in this way.

A number of sealing ribs 7 arranged parallel to one another and arrangedat an axial distance from the outer thread 8 are arranged on the outsidecircumference of the sealing closure 10 in the area of theelastomerically deformable annular wall 16 at the front axially. Thesesealing ribs are inclined toward the rear in the direction of insertionand are thus in sealing contact with the inside circumference 21 of theouter sleeve 2. The receiving opening 15 formed by the annular wall 16,open at one end, is designed as a conical inclination 17 having a coneangle 18.

The conical inclination 17 of the receiving opening 15 may be designedto be smooth or may also have a thread-type profile.

The opening side 4 of the outer sleeve 2 is offset by a shoulder 20 of areduced diameter from the remaining interior 19 of the outer sleeve 2,and the bottom sleeve 22 has a conical constriction and is closed at thebottom. The bottom sleeve 22 is thus sealed by the bottom side 3.

The front end 5 of the opening side 4 is open and has a peripheral edge,which is stopped at the respective peripheral stop edge 6 on thecircumference of the sealing closure 10 when screwed in.

FIG. 2 shows all the parts from the exploded diagram in FIG. 1, so thattheir mutual relationship is discernible.

The sealing closure 30 has a receiving opening 35, which widensconically toward the outside—in the same way as the sealing closure 10.This opening is formed through an annular wall 36, on the outsidecircumference of which sealing ribs 37 are integrally molded. Hereagain, the inside circumference of the receiving opening 35 may besmoothed or may be profiled with threads.

The sealing closure 30 is screwed onto the opening side 40 of the innersleeve 12 in the direction of the arrow 28. It is assumed that theobject 25 is already accommodated with its head 26 in the interior 39 ofthe inner sleeve 12.

In many application cases, it may happen that the diameter of the head26 of the object 25 is selected so that the head 26 is clamped in theconically widened receiving opening 35, and this receiving opening 35 isspread radially outward so that the sealing ribs 37 press against theinside circumference 54 of the of the inner sleeve 12 with an increasedcontact pressure.

FIG. 1 thus shows that the length of the inner sleeve 12 is selected sothat its sealing closure 30 is supported on the bottom side 3 of theouter sleeve 2 in the interior 19, and the length 43 (see FIG. 3) of theinner sleeve 12 is selected so that the conically tapering bottom sleeve22 of the inner sleeve 12 penetrates into the outer sleeve 2 in thedirection of the arrow 14, into the receiving opening 15 in the sealingclosure 10 and executes an expansion movement directed in the radialdirection of the arrow 13, forcing the peripheral annular wall 16radially outward in the direction of the arrow 13 in the sealing closure10 and pressing the sealing ribs 7 against the inside circumference 21of the outer sleeve 2 under an increased contact pressure.

The multiple successive sealing ribs in FIG. 1 are labeled in generalwith reference numeral 7. To show that each sealing rib is peripheraland defines a separate sealing chamber 57, 58 in combination with theneighboring sealing rib, the individual sealing ribs are labeled withseparate reference numerals. The outermost sealing rib axially islabeled with reference numeral 56, the next sealing rib in the axialdirection is labeled with reference numeral 57 and, finally, thefollowing sealing rib is labeled with reference numeral 59.

The sealing ribs 55, 56, 59 that are closed per se on the circumferenceand the individual sealing chambers 57, 58, which are compressed when anexpansion pressure 11 acts in the radial direction of the arrow 13 andthe seal on the inside circumference 21 of the outer sleeve 2 is therebygreatly improved.

FIG. 2 shows that it is preferable if the receiving opening 15 has acone angle 18 in the sealing closure 10 and for the outsidecircumference of the bottom sleeve 24 of the inner sleeve 12 to have acone angle 18 that is the same or at least similar.

The cone angle 18 of the sealing stopper 10, 30 and the bottom sleeve 24of the inner sleeve 12 may however, also differ from one another.

The bottom sleeve 24 of the inner sleeve 12 is thus clamped in thecentral receiving opening 15 of the sealing closure 10. When the sealingclosure 10 is unscrewed out of the outer sleeve 2, the inner sleeve 12remains clamped in the receiving opening 15.

The expansion pressure thereby generated is labeled with referencenumeral 11 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 also shows that the inner sleeve 12 is accommodated centrally ina 180° offset position in the interior of the outer sleeve 2 and issupported with its sealing closure 30 on the bottom side 3 of the outersleeve 2. The sealing closure 30 is constructed in the same way as thesealing closure 10, so that all the preceding descriptions for thesealing closure 10 also apply to the structure of the sealing closure30.

Before reaching the sterile area of the operating room, the inner sleeve12 is removed from the outer sleeve 2 by opening the sealing closure 10as shown in FIG. 2. In doing so, the inner sleeve 12 with its bottomsleeve 24 remains clamped in the conical receiving opening 15 of thesealing closure 10 that has been removed. Handling thus involves contactonly with the sealing closure 10 but no contact with the inner sleeve12.

In the sterile area of the operating room, a suitable person will openthe sealing closure 30 by unscrewing it from the inner sleeve 12according to FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein the object 25 to be held is removedfrom the interior 39 of the inner sleeve. It is either looselyaccommodated in the inner sleeve 12 or it is held with its head 26 in aclamping action in the conical inclination 27 in the receiving opening35.

According to FIG. 3, the head 46 of an object 45 may also be clampedsecurely against an annular collar 38 having a reduced diameter of theinner sleeve 12 with the help of a pressure piece 42 arranged in thesealing closure 30.

In all three cases, the sterile object 25, 45 can then be removed fromthe inner sleeve 12 and introduced into the sterile operating fieldwithout further contact.

The inner sleeve 12 is constructed in the same way as the outer sleeve 2and has a shoulder 23 arranged on the bottom side, developing into abottom sleeve 24, which has a conically tapering diameter.

The bottom sleeve 24 is the expansion member for spreading apart thereceiving opening 15 in the sealing closure 10. The inside thread 41 forscrewing with the outside thread 31 on the outside circumference of thesealing closure 30 is arranged in the area of the opening side 40.

Furthermore, the sealing ribs 37 arranged on the outside circumferenceare arranged in the area of the annular wall 36 and are spread apart inthe radial direction by the head or by another holding element of theobject 25.

Here again, the length of the object 25 is such that it abuts at itsfront end against the bottom wall of the bottom sleeve 24, so that whenthe sealing closure 30 is screwed into the inner sleeve 12, the head 26penetrates into the conically tapering receiving opening 35 and spreadsit apart radially from the outside.

In another embodiment, it is of course possible for the length of theobject 25 to be selected to be shorter and to provide axial or radialstops in the interior of the inner sleeve, on which the object 25 isstopped in a secured position, so that when the sealing closure 30 issecured into the opening side 40 of the outer sleeve 12, the head 26penetrates into the conically tapering receiving opening 35 and spreadsit apart.

The invention is also not limited to holding an object like a screw, asillustrated in the drawings. Any other instrument or any other object 25may also be held in the inner sleeve.

In another embodiment, it may also be provided that the length of theobject 25 is shorter than the inside length of the inner sleeve 12, sothat there need not be any axial or radial stops for the object 25.

In this case, it may be provided that the object 25 with its expansionmember (for example, the head 26) is already inserted in advance intothe conical receiving opening 35, which is thus already spread open.

In an exploded diagram, FIG. 4 shows and arrangement of a packagingsleeve consisting of an outer sleeve 2 and an inner sleeve 12, in whichthe object 45 to be packaged together with its head 46 is accommodatedon an annular collar 38 of a reduced diameter in the interior 39 of theinner sleeve 12. To protect the object 45 that is to be held in order toprevent movement in the interior 39 of the inner sleeve 12, the objectis clamped securely with the help of a pressure piece 42.

On penetration of the object 45 into the inner sleeve 12, the innersleeve must still be present loosely or may be inserted only as apreliminary matter and with a slight depth of penetration with itspressure piece 42 into the receiving opening 35 of the sealing closure30. However, as soon as the sealing closure 30 with its outside threadis screwed onto the respective inside thread of the inner sleeve 12, thepressure piece 42 penetrates further into the interior of the receivingopening 35 of the sealing closure 30 in the direction of the arrow 14until the stop edge 44 that has been widened radially in diameter is incontact with the respective front end of the receiving opening 35. Thepressure piece, which preferably has a conical design, thus results inradial expansion of the sealing ribs 37 on penetration into thereceiving hole 35 of the sealing closure 30 and in an increased sealingof the sealing closure 30 in the interior of the inner sleeve 12.

As indicated by the arrow 29 in FIG. 4, the inner sleeve 12 that hasbeen completely assembled is then inserted into the outer sleeve 2 withthe object 45 now clamped securely under axial pressure, and the totallength of the inner sleeve 12, including the completely assembledsealing closure 30, is chosen so that, when the sealing closure 10 isscrewed onto the outer sleeve 2, the conically tapering bottom sleeve 24of the inner sleeve penetrates into the conically widened receivingopening 15 and widens the receiving opening 15 radially, so that thesealing ribs 7 are in contact with the inside of the outer sleeve 2under an increased contact pressure.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4because it may be provided in another embodiment (not shown in thedrawings) that the pressure piece 42 is also provided for expansion ofthe receiving opening 15 in the sealing closure exactly as describedabove with reference to the inner sleeve 12.

Then, in this case, the conical bottom sleeve 24 of the inner sleeve 12will not engage in the receiving opening 15 but instead a pressure piece42 is then partially inserted into the receiving opening 15 and thispressure piece 42 penetrates completely into the receiving opening 15 ofthe sealing closure 10 when the sealing closure 10 is screwed on and italso widens this.

It is thus clarified that not just the bottom sleeve 24 of the innersleeve can serve as the expansion member for the outer sealing closure10, but also the sealing closure 10 can be expanded radially by apressure piece 42 that is not shown in greater detail, as explained inthe example according to FIG. 4 on the basis of the sealing closure 30in combination with the inner sleeve 12.

FIG. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment that has been modified incomparison with FIG. 4, in which it is shown that the head 46 of anobject to be held is also suitable directly as an expansion member forexpansion of the receiving opening 35 in the sealing closure 30 near theinner sleeve.

The same explanations otherwise apply to the same parts as those shownin FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 also shows the penetration of the bottom sleeve 24 according toFIG. 4 in to the receiving opening 15 of the outer sealing closure 10.FIG. 4 shows the exploded diagram, while FIG. 5 shows the diagram of thedevice after being completely assembled, wherein the sealing ribs 7 arenow pressed against the inside circumference of the outer sleeve 2 underthe expansion effect of the conical bottom sleeve 24 with an increasedcontact pressure.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show different embodiments of a sealing closure, whereineach sealing closure can be used either for the outer sealing closure 10and/or for the inner sealing closure 30.

FIG. 6 shows the penetration of a pressure piece 42 with a conical partinto the conically widened receiving opening 15, 35 of the sealingclosure 10, which is designed in two parts in the exemplary embodimentshown here.

The annular wall 16, 36, which has the sealing ribs 7, 37, is made of asofter plastic material than comparatively the screw part 48, which issituated above it and has the outer thread 8 and/or 31.

The sealing closure 10, 30 shown in FIG. 6 thus consists of two plasticmaterials bonded together in one piece at the factory, wherein theplastic of the radially spreadable annular wall 16, 36 consists of asofter plastic material than comparatively the plastic of the screw part48 arranged above it.

In modification of the embodiment according to FIG. 6, FIG. 7 shows thatthe entire sealing closure 10, 30 may consist of a harder plastic, whichalso extends into the annular wall 16 in the hard embodiment.

However, a softer sealing sleeve 49 is integrally molded on or invertedover the outside circumference of the annular wall 16, the sealing ribs7, 37 that are deformable under a radial expansion pressure beingarranged on the outside circumference of the wall.

FIG. 8 shows three different embodiments of a pressure piece 42 whosefunction was already explained with reference to FIG. 4.

The shaping of the pressure piece, in particular its bottom side,depends mainly on the type of head 46 of an object 45 to be clamped withthe aid of the pressure piece 42.

In the upper diagram according to FIG. 8, the pressure piece 42 a isfurnished with a curved surface 51, which is directed outward with aconvex shape and exerts a uniform contact pressure on the head 46 of theobject 45 to be held—according to FIG. 4.

In the second diagram in FIG. 8 the pressure piece 42 b is furnishedwith a tip 50, which penetrates into a respective hole (not shown) inthe central area of the head 46 of an object 45 and thus ensuresadditional centering for an object 45 to be held in the area of theinner sleeve 12.

The same centering is obtained due to the concave surface 52 of thepressure piece 42 c in FIG. 8 because a head surface adapted thereto canalso be centered on this concave surface.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show different designs of the sealing ribs 7, 37 of asealing closure 10, 30. It is assumed in FIG. 9 that the sealing closureconsists of the upper screw part 48 and the lower sealing part 53 on theoutside circumference of which the different profile shapes of sealingribs 7, 37 are integrally molded.

It is shown in the upper diagram in FIG. 10 that the expansion pressure11 of an expansion member acts on the inside circumference 54 of thesealing part 53 in the direction of the arrow 13 and thus leads to aradially outward directed deformation of the sealing ribs 7, 37, becausethese sealing ribs undergo uniform radially inward deformation under theinfluence of a counterpressure 32 by contact with the insidecircumference of the outer sleeve 2 and/or the inner sleeve 12. Theapproximately uniformly symmetrical and triangularly profiled sealingribs 7, 37 are therefore also deformed uniformly under the influence ofthe counterpressure 32 as shown at the upper left of FIG. 10 on thebasis of the sealing rib 7′.

In the central diagram on the left side of FIG. 10, the sealing ribs 7a, 37 a are already designed with a curvature and are thereforeflattened under the influence of a counterpressure acting inwardlydirected and are in contact specifically with large area sealingsurfaces on the inside circumference of the outer sleeve 2 or the innersleeve 12.

The lower diagram on the left side in FIG. 10 shows that the front sideof the respective sealing ribs 7 b may also be flattened and notzigzag-shaped as shown at the top of FIG. 10 so the result is adifferent deformation geometry under the influence of thecounterpressure 32.

In the diagram at the upper right in FIG. 10, the asymmetrical sealingribs 7 c are also deformed in the direction of the arrow 33 because acounterpressure acts on the respective asymmetrical tip of the sealingrib 7 c in the direction of the arrow 32.

In contrast with the diagram at the upper right of FIG. 10, the centraldiagram shows that the free outer ends of the sealing ribs 7 d, 37 d mayalso be designed as tips that become larger toward the outside radiallyand then flatten under the influence of a counterpressure and thus formlinear contact faces on the inside circumference of the outer sleeve 2and/or of the inner sleeve 12.

The diagram at the bottom of FIG. 10 on the right side shows that it issufficient to also design the sealing ribs 7 e, 37 e just with acurvature.

Because of the softness of the elastomeric material used, these curvedsealing ribs 7 e, 37 e are also compressed and unfold straight largearea contact faces, establishing a superior sealing effect on the insidecircumference of the outer sleeve 2 and/or the inner sleeve 12.

FIG. 11 shows as one exemplary embodiment a modification of the shapingof the outside circumference of the bottom sleeve 24 of the inner sleeve12.

As indicated in the general description part, in a modified embodimentit may be provided that the outside circumference of the conicallytapering bottom sleeve 24 is not designed to be smooth but instead hasfriction-increasing profile elements.

These profile elements 34 a, 34 b should permit a controlled removal orcontrolled extraction of the inner sleeve 12 from the receiving opening15 in the outer sealing closure 10. When the bottom sleeve is pulled outof the receiving opening 15, a controlled extraction should be possiblewithout any great application of force, and the traction force should beexerted in the most controlled possible manner.

Thus FIG. 11 shows a screw profile 34 a on the outside circumference ofthe conically tapering bottom sleeve 24, so that the inner sleeve 12 isnot extracted out of the sealing materials 10 of the outer sleeve withan axial pulling force but instead with a screw-like motion.

Thus a controlled removal of the inner sleeve 12 from the sealingclosure 10 of the outer sleeve 2 is possible.

This is also illustrated in FIG. 13 where it is indicated by the use ofreference numerals that the same features may also be provided forforming the sealing closure 30, wherein then—in modification of thedescription above—either the pressure piece 42 of thefriction-increasing profiles 34 a, 34 b or in the case of the designaccording to FIG. 5, when the head 46 of an object to be held actsdirectly as an expansion member in the sealing stopper 30, the head 46is then furnished with the profile shapes 34 a, 34 b on the outsidecircumference.

However, for the sake of a simpler description, only the profile shapeon the outside circumference of the bottom sleeve 24 of the inner sleeve12 will now be discussed with reference to FIGS. 11 to 13, although theinvention is not limited to this.

In modification of FIG. 11, FIG. 12 shows that, instead of a conicallytapering bottom sleeve 24, a cylindrical bottom sleeve, in which the ribprofiles 34 b that are shown are eliminated first, may also be used. Thebottom sleeve is then a smooth cylinder and can also be inserted intothe conically tapering receiving opening 15 of the sealing closure 10with an expansion force.

However, an improved expansion force also occurs when ribs of a largerdiameter are arranged on the outside circumference of the cylindricalbottom sleeve 24′.

FIG. 13 shows that it is not essential to the solution to bring the coneangle 18 of the conically tapering bottom sleeve 24 into correspondencewith the cone angle 18 of the conically narrowing receiving opening 15.

The exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 14 has the same sealingclosure 30 as that already described in the preceding description on thebasis of FIGS. 1 to 13.

The same reference numerals have been used for the same parts. All theexplanations and advantages of the first exemplary embodiment are alsoapplicable here.

The main difference between the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1and that according to FIG. 14 is the sealing arrangement on the leftside, which now has a special sealing ring 60 according to theinvention. However, it is pointed out that the sealing ring 60 and itsspecial sealing functions can also be used in combination with thesealing closure 30 shown on the right side.

The sealing ring 60 may thus be arranged on the left side in FIG. 14 inthe sealing closure 10 and/or also on the right side in FIG. 14 in thecase of the sealing closure 30, wherein all information about the typeor design of the sealing ring 60 also applies to the sealing closure 30on the right side.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 14, therefore a higherlevel sealing arrangement is shown on the left side between the outersleeve 2 and the stopper-type sealing closure 10 merely for reasons ofsimplifying the drawing.

This sealing arrangement is characterized in that the sealing closure 10extends with its sleeve-type end into the interior of the outer sleeve2, where it forms an outside thread 8, which cooperates with arespective inside thread 9 on the inside of the outer sleeve 2.

It is important that the thread engagement between the threads 8, 9 isshifted axially inward to the interior of the outer sleeve 2 and axiallyoutward the sealing arrangement is now formed on the left side of thethread arrangement 8, 9.

The thread engagement between the respective threads 8, 9 is selected sothat a defined locking position is achieved in a certain rotationalposition, so that this ensures that the stopper-type sealing closure 10is always screwed with its outside thread 8 into the respective insidethread 9 of the outer sleeve 2 in the same positional and rotationalorientation.

The exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 14 is characterized in that,due to the fact that the two respective threads 8, 9 are screwedtogether, the result is a first axial sealing location 62, which isarranged on the free outer end of a sealing sleeve 61, which isconnected to the wall of the outer sleeve 2 in one piece at the factory.

The sealing location 62 is thus formed by the front end of the sealingsleeve 61 on the outside wall end and a sealing ring 60, wherein thesealing ring 60 forms an axial stop at the sealing location 62 and thusforms the sealing location 62.

Due to the two threads 8, 9 being screwed together, thus a first axialseal is established at the sealing location 62.

The sealing location 62 is thus formed by an axial stop 63 in the areaof the sealing ring 60.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 15, which is an enlargeddiagram of the view in FIG. 14, it can be seen that the sealing ring 60is a part with an approximately L-shaped profile, i.e., it has a conicalfront area 64 that tapers to a point.

Furthermore, there is also an inside stop face 65, which is designed tobe approximately cylindrical in the exemplary embodiment shown here.

Apart from that, the sealing ring 60 forms an axial ring stop 66, whichis in contact with a respective axial contact face on the head of thestopper-type sealing closure 10.

According to FIG. 16, the end stop 63 is shifted as far as possibletoward the left in the axial direction into the area of the sealingclosure 10, while now the sealing ribs 7 that are directed radiallyoutward, as described previously, are in contact with this axial stop 63on the right side in the axial direction.

The sealing ribs are each approximately round, profiled, ribbed bodies,which are molded in one piece at the factory using the material of thesealing ring 60 and have grooves that narrow the cross section betweenthem.

All other embodiments, such as those mentioned in the description ofFIG. 10 ff., are of course also claimed according to the invention.

As described above, an expansion pressure 11, which is directed radiallyoutward, then acts on the inner sleeve 12 in the direction of the arrow13 in the interior of the conical inclination 17 of the inner sleeve 12and is thus transferred in the radial direction via the sleeve wall 67of the stopper-type sealing closure 10 to the novel sealing ring 60,which is thus in sealing contact with the inside circumference of theouter sleeve 2 in two mutually orthogonal directions.

This ensures that the tight and sterile region is shifted as far to theoutside as possible into the sealing ring 60 in the axial direction,because the sealing location 62 is situated at the farthest possibleaxial outer position of the sealing ring 60 and only then—following thatin the axial direction—is it connected to the sealing ribs 7 providedfor the radial seal.

This is in contrast with the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1because in this embodiment and unprotected inner region of the outersleeve is present outside of the sealing area and is no longer presentin the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 14 ff.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 17, a different form ofthe sealing ring 60 is proposed, identified here as sealing ring 60 a.

This exemplary embodiment is characterized in that the sealing ring 60 ano longer has a cylindrical contact face 65 but instead this contactface 68 is now designed with a structure.

The structured contact face results in a reduction in the wall thickness67 in comparison with FIG. 16, which shows clearly that the springaction of the sleeve wall 67 is increased and it is more capable oftransferring the expansion pressure 11 exerted in the direction of thearrow 13 to the sealing ring 60 a, which thus experiences a much greaterdeformation in the radial direction outward.

The sealing pressure and the sealing effect of the sealing ring 60 a arethus also improved in FIG. 17.

FIG. 18, in modification of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG.17, shows a different form of a sealing ring, which is thereforereferred to as sealing ring 60 b. This exemplary embodiment ischaracterized in that the sealing ring 60 b is molded together with thematerial of the stopper-type sealing closure 10 as one part in atwo-component process as a one-piece part at the factory, but with adifferent (softer) modulus of elasticity.

It thus forms an integrated body in the sealing closure 10 so that inthis exemplary embodiment the sleeve wall 67 is completely omitted andthe sleeve wall 67 is then formed by the inside wall of the sealing ring60 b itself.

This ensures that the expansion pressure 11 is exerted directly on theinside wall of the sealing ring 60 b in the direction of the arrow 13,so the sealing ring is particularly sensitive to deformation directedradially outward.

FIG. 19 shows the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 17 in anenlarged diagram where it can be seen that the sleeve wall 67 isdesigned as a double cone.

The exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 19 and 17 thus agree withregard to the fact that there is a double-conical receiving opening 15.It consists of a first conical part 69, a cylindrical part 70 andanother conical part 71 connected thereto in the axial direction.Accordingly, the sleeve wall 67 is designed with gradations with respectto the wall thickness in its axial extent.

According to the diagram in FIG. 19, the sleeve wall is initiallydesigned with a conical taper, namely by the cone angle W and then it isdesigned to be cylindrical with a cylindrical part 70 and again forms aconical part 71 in the axial extension beyond the cylindrical part 70,this cone part also having the cone angle W′, where W′ is greater thanW.

Due to this double-conical design (W cylinder W′), this yields theadvantage that the expansion pressure in the direction of the arrow 13is transferred in particular to the internal area of the sealing ring60, especially in the areas 70 and 71, and thus there is a concentrationof the expansion pressure in the direction of the arrow 13 on the insidecircumference of the sealing ring 60, which is therefore deformedradially outward only essentially in this area, while the axial sealinglocation 62 remains unaffected by this expansion pressure, which isdirected radially outward.

This ensures that the sealing force acts mainly on the radial sealingribs 7 and less on the axial sealing location 62.

It is possible to provide that the cone angle 18 deviates from the coneangle of the bottom sleeve 24 by an amount X (which is a positive ornegative even number).

In all application cases, this results in the desired expansion of theradially deformable sealing part 53, on the outside circumference ofwhich the elastomerically deformable sealing ribs 7, 37 are integrallymolded.

LEGEND TO THE DRAWINGS

-   1 Packaging sleeve-   2 Outer sleeve-   3 Bottom side-   4 Opening side-   5 End side-   6 Stop edge-   7 Sealing ribs-   8 Outside thread-   9 Inside thread-   10 Sealing closure (of 2)-   11 Expansion pressure-   12 Inside sleeve-   13 Direction of arrow-   14 Direction of arrow-   15 Receiving opening (of 10)-   16 Annular wall-   17 Cone inclination-   18 Cone angle-   19 Interior (of 2)-   20 Shoulder-   21 Inside circumference (of 2)-   22 Bottom sleeve (of 2)-   23 Shoulder-   24 Bottom sleeve (of 12)-   24′ Bottom sleeve-   25 Object-   26 Head (of 25)-   27 Cone inclination-   28 Direction of arrow-   29 Direction of arrow-   30 Sealing closure (of 12)-   31 Outside thread (of 30)-   32 Counterpressure-   33 Direction of arrow-   34 a Screw profile-   34 b Rib profile-   35 Receiving opening (of 30)-   36 Annular wall (of 30)-   37 Sealing ribs (of 30)-   38 Ring collar (of 12)-   39 Interior (of 12)-   40 Opening side-   41 Inside thread (of 12)-   42 Pressure piece (of 30)-   43 Length (of 12)-   44 Stop edge-   45 Object-   46 Head (of 45)-   47 Annular wall (of 42)-   48 Screw part (of 10, 30)-   49 Sealing sleeve (of 10, 30)-   50 Tip (of 42)-   51 Curved surface (of 42)-   52 Concave surface (of 42)-   53 Sealing part-   54 Inside circumference-   55 Sealing rib-   56 Sealing rib-   57 Sealing chamber-   58 Sealing chamber-   59 Sealing rib-   60 Sealing ring a, b-   61 Sealing sleeve-   62 Sealing location (axial)-   63 Stop (axial)-   64 Front area (of 60)-   65 Stop face-   66 Annular stop-   67 Sleeve wall-   68 Contact face

What is claimed is:
 1. A packaging sleeve for storing sterile objects,the packaging sleeve comprising: at least one outer sleeve open at oneend that is sealable with a first sealing closure; and an inner sleeveaccommodated within the outer sleeve, wherein the inner sleeve is openat one end that is sealable with a second sealing closure, wherein thesecond sealing closure includes a second clamping seating in a receivingopening, wherein the second clamping seating is configured to presssealing ribs arranged on an outside circumference of the second sealingclosure against an inside circumference of the inner sleeve underincreased contact pressure when a sterile object is received therein,wherein the first sealing closure comprises a screw part and a sealingpart as one piece, wherein the sealing part includes the sealing ribsarranged on an outside circumference thereof, and wherein the screw partincludes at least one sealing ring arranged on an outer circumferencethereof.
 2. The packaging sleeve of claim 1, wherein the outer sleeve isopen at a first end that is sealable with the first sealing closure, andis closed on a second end, and wherein the inner sleeve is accommodatedwithin a first clamping seating in a receiving opening of the firstsealing closure of the outer sleeve and thereby widens the first sealingclosure radially.
 3. The packaging sleeve of claim 1, wherein the firstsealing closure is configured to be screwed into the outer sleeve,inserted into the outer sleeve, or both.
 4. The packaging sleeve ofclaim 1, wherein the second sealing closure includes a pressure piecearranged at least in the receiving opening which radially widens thereceiving opening under axial stress when in contact with a sterileobject.
 5. A packaging sleeve for storing sterile objects, the packagingsleeve comprising: at least one outer sleeve open at one end that issealable with a first sealing closure; and an inner sleeve accommodatedwithin the outer sleeve, wherein the inner sleeve is open at one endthat is sealable with a second sealing closure, wherein the secondsealing closure includes a second clamping seating in a receivingopening, wherein the second clamping seating is configured to presssealing ribs arranged on an outside circumference of the second sealingclosure against an inside circumference of the inner sleeve underincreased contact pressure when a sterile object is received therein,wherein the first sealing closure comprises a screw part and a sealingpart as one piece, wherein the sealing part includes the sealing ribsarranged on an outside circumference thereof, wherein the sealing partis designed in two parts and consists of a harder inner annular wall anda sealing sleeve made of a softer material, and wherein the sealingsleeve surrounds the inner annular wall on an outside circumference andincludes elastomerically deformable sealing ribs.
 6. A packaging sleevefor storing sterile objects, the packaging sleeve comprising: at leastone outer sleeve open at a first end that is sealable with a firstsealing closure having a receiving opening, and closed at a second end;and an inner sleeve open at a first end that is sealable with a secondsealing closure having a receiving opening, and closed at a second end,wherein the inner sleeve is accommodated within the outer sleeve in thereceiving opening of the first sealing closure thereby pressing sealingribs arranged on an outside circumference of the first sealing closureagainst an inside circumference of the outer sleeve under increasedcontact pressure, and wherein an object is accommodated in the receivingopening of the second sealing closure thereby pressing sealing ribsarranged on an outside circumference of the second sealing closureagainst an inside circumference of the inner sleeve under increasedcontact pressure.
 7. The packaging sleeve of claim 6, wherein the secondsealing closure includes a pressure piece arranged at least in thereceiving opening which radially widens the receiving opening underaxial stress when in contact with the object.
 8. The packaging sleeve ofclaim 6, wherein the object is a sterile object.